


To Write History

by 3DMG Shenanigans (Lightningpelt)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Comrades, Comrades in Arms, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Gen, Mortality
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-19
Updated: 2014-08-19
Packaged: 2018-02-13 21:14:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2165433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lightningpelt/pseuds/3DMG%20Shenanigans
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The winners of wars are most often the ones who write the history books. Erwin, Hanji and Levi ponder this. </p><p>Written for EruRiHan Week (Day 3: History) over on tumblr.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Write History

**Author's Note:**

> Help me I had too much fun with this. It's set sometime prior to the Colossal Titan's appearance, fyi. 
> 
> I love these dorks so much. All of them. <3

"What do you think humanity fought before the titans?"

"What the hell do you mean, Shitty Glasses?"

Hanji sighed softly, crossing her arms on the table and resting her chin on them. "Humanity seems to need war to structure our society. So who do you think we fought before the titans appeared?"

"Probably one another," Erwin rumbled softly, from behind the map he was examining. Levi pushed a pen experimentally and watched as it rolled off the desk, falling into Erwin's lap.

"It's hard to believe that we could hate one another with as much passion as we hate the titans," he muttered.

"We've seen what atrocities humans can commit," Hanji put in. "I don't find it that hard to believe that wars used to break out over such things. You lived in the Underground; that shouldn't be so hard for you to imagine."

Levi snorted softly, uncrossing and recrossing his legs. "Skirmishes, yeah, but wars? ... Maybe."

"Ha."

"Shut it."

Hanji sighed, shifting her eyes toward the ceiling. "I just wish we had proper history from that time... more than just the occasional legend. I would love to study the pre-titan era in depth one day... but without proper history books..."

"There is no such thing as 'proper' history books." Erwin spoke again from behind his map, his voice grave. "Even if such books existed, the winners of these theoretical wars are undoubtedly the ones who would have written them. You wouldn't find any degree of truth there."

Hanji made a distressed noise in the back of her throat, raising her head, and Levi scoffed.

"I guess that means our shitty monarchy were the ones who won the last pre-titan war, right? Is that what you're getting at, Erwin?"

Erwin lowered his map, the ghost of a smirk just barely visible on his face. "That may have been the example I had in mind."

Levi shook his head ruefully, and Hanji made an excited noise.

"Tha-that's perfect, Erwin! That's it! Y-You're really onto something!"

"Don't get so excited, Shitty Glasses," Levi muttered, leaning back in his chair. "That doesn't even tell us anything of use."

Hanji pouted. "But its interesting!" she said defensively, and Levi gave a reluctant grunt of agreement.

"It is something to think about," Erwin murmured, setting his map down. "And, by extension... if we win this war against the titans..."

" _We_ get to write recorded history," Levi finished, in a weighty tone.

Hanji's face lit up. "See?! You two _are_ intrigued by the idea!"

"Who said we weren't?" Levi scoffed. "It's interesting- useless, but interesting."

"How would you two write history?!" the scientist asked excitedly, and her companions fell silent for a moment.

"I would want to erase myself," Erwin said suddenly, and the other two looked at him in surprise. "If left alone, History would probably label me a hero of war. But I don't want that title, not considering the horrible things I've done to be mistakable for a hero."

"You do what needs to be done, Erwin," Levi said softly. "You deserve to be remembered for the hard choices you've had to make."

But the Commander shook his head. "You're the one who should be remembered as the soldier won this war, Levi- you and Mike and Hanji and all the others of the Survey Corps."

"I don't think so!" Hanji objected hotly. "Without you leading us, this war would be lost a dozen times already!"

"Perhaps..." Erwin mused, "but its unpleasant enough dealing with what I've done while I'm still here; while I'm still doing it. I don't want to be remembered by future generations for being capable of discarding my humanity."

"This war has made us all into monsters, Erwin," Levi growled. "All wars make all their soldiers into monsters... the soldiers that survive, at least. If you deserve to be erased, we all do; if you deserve to be remembered, we all do."

Erwin smiled tiredly. "You're too stubborn, Levi."

"Don't act like you didn't know that."

Hanji laughed, then leaned over pointed one finger at Erwin in a mock scolding motion. "Now I'm with Shorty, ya hear?" she said. "If I'm making it into the history books- which I most certainly am, if I have anything to say about it -I'm dragging you with me!"

Erwin smiled reluctantly. "I guess I'll have nothing to say in the matter, then, regardless of how this war ends."

"Not if you're going to be such an ass about the whole thing," Levi growled.

"Alright then, how would you write _yourself_ in history, Levi?" Erwin challenged.

"Taller," Hanji put in, and Levi kicked the leg of her chair.

"In all seriousness," Erwin pressed, and his subordinate hesitated.

"Not as Humanity's Strongest," he said finally. "Maybe... I'd like to be mentioned in a paragraph in the middle of your chapter. Just... one paragraph, as some thug that you found and managed to shape into an officer."

"You deserve far more than a paragraph, Levi," Erwin rumbled, but Levi looked away.

"I would just want to be remembered as an officer that my men trusted," he growled. "None of this 'Humanity's Strongest' bullshit that clings to me while I'm alive."

"Levi..." Hanji began appealingly, but the look the Corporal shot her made her smile almost apologetically and hold her tongue.

"What about you, Shitty Glasses? How do you intend to write yourself in the history books, since you're the one who brought it up?"

Hanji drew a breath, began to speak; stalled unexpectedly and exhaled. Levi snorted.

"Not as easy a question as you thought, huh?"

"G-Give me a minute...!" Hanji said, and Levi motioned with mock graciousness for her to take her time.

"... Alright, alright," she finally began, "I guess it would be a lot more important to me that my research survived, rather than my name. I'd like to be recognized and studied as a scientist, not a soldier."

"That's reasonable," Erwin said, and Levi scoffed.

"Not so enthusiastic about a statue being built in your honor, hmm?"

"As a scientist, I certainly wouldn't mind it!" Hanji said quickly, and then hesitated. "But... if my name was going to be associated with war... with the horror of the titans… _forever_..."

"I guess you'll just have to survive for long enough to keep on with your science after this war is over," Levi said gruffly, although his expression had softened. "Give yourself some other reason to have that statue built."

Hanji laughed, although the sound of it faltered just slightly. "Yeah... I'll just have to give Moblit credit for most of our work with the military."

"He wouldn't know what to do with the fame," Levi said, and again the scientist laughed- more honestly this time.

"He'd lock himself in our lab and drink himself under the table, that's what he'd do!"

Levi snorted. "Don't do that to the poor kid."

"I've got it," Erwin said suddenly; seriously. Both his subordinates sobered momentarily, looking over, but, once their attention was on him, the corner’s of Erwin’s mouth twitched upward. "Moblit can be the Commander of the Survey Corps, too."

Hanji burst into cackling while Levi gave a short, barking laugh. "And Humanity's Strongest Soldier."

"It's decided," Erwin said decisively, with a serious nod, just as there was a hesitant tap on the door. Erwin quirked an eyebrow as he called, "Yes?"

The door opened slowly, and the honey-haired boy poked his head in. "Squad Leader? Y-You're late for-"

"Ah, Moblit!!" Hanji shrieked excitedly, making the poor man jump and stumble farther into the room. Levi huffed quietly with amusement. "Perfect timing! Strike a pose, immediately!"

Moblit looked nervously at Erwin, who nodded slightly. Levi was biting back coarse chuckles as the young man more or less dropped his stack of papers on the ground and attempted a weak, shaky pose.

Hanji burst into peals of laughter. "Perfect, perfect!"

"Flawless," Levi commented dryly, and then choked on another chuckle.

"That's exactly how we'll commission the statue," Erwin said, straight-faced. He held up his hands, as if framing the boy standing in the doorway. "We'll just need to you to sign a couple of papers, Berner."

"S-Sirs--?!"

"Better have him do it right now in case the kid dies before the war is over," Levi put in, and Erwin nodded thoughtfully.

"Very good point, Levi. I'll have the order written up immediately."

"Moblit, I'll need you to draw yourself in that exact pose, so we can give the sculptors proper reference." By now even Hanji was deadpan serious, her glasses glinting almost menacingly, and Moblit began to shake violently.

"Where do you think we should have it built?" Erwin asked his two companions.

"Middle of Sina," Levi said, leaning back and crossing his legs. "No doubt."

"The largest titan ever sighted was twenty two meters," Hanji put in, "so the statue of the man who defeated the titans should be at least thirty!"

"Fuck that, this is the guy who made the Walls obsolete. His statue should be taller than them," Levi said, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"65 meters, then?" Erwin asked, scribbling something down.

"At least," Hanji agreed, nodding.

"H-Have you all lost your minds?!" Moblit finally burst out, still standing near the door.

Hanji made a dismissive motion. "Heavens no, Moblit! We're just discussing the statue of you that we're going to have built when the war is over! Did I forget to tell you about it before now?"

Moblit made a distressed noise in the back of his throat, then gave himself a shake and set to gathering his papers hurriedly. "You've all gone stark, raving mad!" he huffed, bundling the messy stack into his arms. "Or drunk! Drunk... oh heavens I need a drink..." Then he was out the door, although they could still hear him for a moment as he muttered, "Statue- statue of me! Ha! Stark, raving lunatics they are, mad...!"

It just took the three superior officers one look at each other to burst out laughing.

"Well, I suppose that answers the question of history books," Erwin said, shaking out his map again.

"In all seriousness, this is a plan, right?" Hanji asked, and her two companions answered instantly.

"Of course."

"Without a doubt."

Levi gave one more barking laugh before settling back in his chair again, glancing thoughtfully at his two companions. "If I didn't have a reason to stay alive, I guess I do now- not writing myself into history, but having a sixty meter Moblit Berner statue built in the middle of Sina.

"... And you two better be alive to stand right next to me when we see his face, you hear me?"

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos make my day, so I'd be beyond delighted if you saw fit to leave them~ Regardless, I hope you enjoyed reading!


End file.
